When looking for a tattoo design, many people don’t stop to think about the significance of bear tattoos; however, a bear can be used to create a highly personal, visually stunning design that will turn heads and get noticed.

One of the best aspects of bear tattoos is that the bear can be used to convey two separate meanings. In some tattoo designs, the bear is depicted as docile and kind, or as fierce and powerful. This does not mean that the wearer has to choose one meaning over the other – these meanings can be used in conjunction to express the duality of the self, of nature, or of life itself. In fact, these contrasting meanings can make a bear tattoo a very attractive option.

Traditionally, bear tattoos are rendered in a realistic fashion – the tattoo artist takes great care to use proper shading and detailing techniques to make depictions of this animal look as real as possible. This is particularly true with Native American inspired bear tattoos, in which the bear symbolizes a great protector of the world.